A 27-year-old woman from Pingree Grove was struck and killed early Monday while riding a bicycle on U.S. Route 20 near far-northwest suburban Hampshire, in what police are calling a hit-and-run crash.
Officers were called at about 12:40 a.m. after someone reported debris in the road and a person lying on the highway. The bicyclist was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver took off, and a long stretch of U.S. 20 was shut down while investigators worked the scene.
According to NBC Chicago, a preliminary investigation indicates the woman on the bike was hit by an unknown vehicle. The outlet reports that the Hampshire Police Department, the Kane County Major Crimes Task Force and the Kane County Accident Reconstruction Team responded to the scene as detectives began collecting evidence.
Road Closures and Witness Appeal
In the hours after the crash, U.S. 20 was closed in both directions between Big Timber Road and Higgins Road while crews documented the scene and cleared the roadway.
Police are asking anyone who drove on U.S. 20 between Big Timber Road and Gast Road between about 12:30 a.m. and 12:50 a.m. to get in touch with investigators. The Village of Hampshire police page lists a non-emergency number along with instructions on how to preserve and submit video that might help the case.
How the Investigation Is Handled
This deadly collision lands in a summer that has already seen serious bike crashes in the suburbs. In June, a bicyclist was killed by a freight train in Grayslake, ABC7 Chicago reported.
Kane County press releases show the county's Accident Reconstruction Team is regularly called in on complex, high-speed crashes to piece together what happened and what factors played a role, according to the Kane County Sheriff's Office.
Investigators say the probe into Monday's hit-and-run is ongoing and that no charges have been announced. Anyone with information or potentially relevant video is asked to call the Hampshire Police Department non-emergency line at (847) 683-2181 or Kane County Dispatch at 630-232-8400 so detectives can follow up.
